Economics

This channel highlights factors that impact hospital and healthcare economics and revenue. This includes news on healthcare policies, reimbursement, marketing, business plans, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain, salaries, staffing, and the implementation of a cost-effective environment for patients and providers.

UnitedHealth, Amedisys offer divestitures as $3.3B merger advances
Pennant and BrightSpring Health Services have agreed to purchase some healthcare businesses from UnitedHealth and Amedisys. However, it remains unclear whether this will be enough for the DOJ to drop its lawsuit blocking the merger.
Tariffs will have a significant impact on the nuclear imaging supply chain in the US
"Domestic radiopharmaceutical suppliers, who receive isotopes from abroad, would be impacted by price changes and uncertainty caused by additional tariffs,” SNMMI President Cathy Cutler, PhD, wrote in a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce this week.
Senator introduces bill to boost radiologist pay in Medicare program
The lawmaker is proposing the ‘‘Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025," mirroring Rep. Murphy's House bill.
Covera Health to vet prostate MRI providers for ‘Radiology Centers of Excellence’
The startup has partnered with employers such as Walmart, providers and health plans (including BCBS Michigan) to steer patients to top imaging centers.
Enterprise imaging vendor Enlitic inks data migration deal worth up to $32M
The company has signed a "memo of understanding" with GE HealthCare, helping it to build a new cloud-based product suite.

Casana raises $14M to bring toilet seat-based heart monitoring system to market

Casana, formerly known as Heart Health Intelligence, also named a new CEO.

Radiology department partners with Aetna to expedite prior authorization requests

University of Virginia Health did so by deploying a clinical decision support system to guide ordering providers, according to a study in JACR.

Nanox sees stock slide as FDA pushes back timeline for its novel imaging system

The Israel-based firm had planned to ship its first 1,000 Nanox.ARCs in late 2021, but will now do so in the first quarter of 2022.

Cigna stops requiring prior authorization for certain CT imaging exams

Imaging advocates praised the policy change, which took effect on Monday, Feb. 1.

AI poised to ‘speed up the overall revenue cycle’ for hospitals set back fiscally by COVID

Hospital leaders discouraged by COVID-19’s devastating toll on human life and wellbeing must also mind the price the crisis is exacting on their organization’s financial health.

HHS reveals overarching ‘AI ambition,’ lays out strategy for pursuing it

HHS has published a document that it says marks the department’s first concerted move to transform itself into an “AI-fueled enterprise.”

10 notable FDA approvals of AI* in medical devices over the past 90 days

*May also include VR/AR and 3D printing. Links lead to announcements as sent by the companies.

Private equity firm closing in on $344M purchase of global teleradiology outfit

Pacific Equity Partners has emerged as the frontrunner to buy the imaging group, leaping ahead of other suitors such as KKR, according to a report.

Economics

UnitedHealth, Amedisys offer divestitures as $3.3B merger advances

Tariffs will have a significant impact on the nuclear imaging supply chain in the US

Senator introduces bill to boost radiologist pay in Medicare program

Covera Health to vet prostate MRI providers for ‘Radiology Centers of Excellence’

Enterprise imaging vendor Enlitic inks data migration deal worth up to $32M